Two out of three eligible Wisconsinites are not expected to vote in today's statewide recall primary election.

Municipal clerks, academics and the state Government Accountability Board all agree a large number of Wisconsin voters won't vote today to determine the candidates for the June recall elections. Even with nonstop political ads and the once-in-a-lifetime nature of the contest, the GAB predicts only 30 to 35 percent will vote. But such a turnout still would make it the largest spring showing in state history.

Polls opened at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.

First-term Republican Gov. Scott Walker is the target of a recall effort after ending collective bargaining rights for most public workers. Hundreds of thousands of residents signed petitions to put the recall issue on the ballot, and various political campaigns and interest groups have spent millions to attract voters.

Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch also is being recalled along with a handful of state senators.

"There's just not a lot of excitement for the primary," said Door County Clerk Jill Lau, where about 19,000 people are eligible to vote. "The people all are focused on June."

A turnout of 30 percent of voters would mean 1.3 million to 1.5 million people. About 4.35 million Wisconsinites are eligible to vote and about 3.3 million are registered, GAB figures show.

Voters will choose from Republican and Democratic candidates for governor, and among Democratic candidates for lieutenant governor. Four Senate races also have primaries. Winners will face off in a June 5 recall election that pollsters expect will be a rematch of the 2010 gubernatorial candidates — Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and Walker.

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"I don't get why there isn't more excitement — from either side," said Troy Pflum, a corrections officer who works at Dodge Correctional Institute in Waupun. Pflum said he plans to vote for Democratic state Sen. Kathleen Vinehout, but knows a co-worker who won't vote for anyone today.

"We're state workers — you can't say we're not affected by this recall," he said. "I don't see how someone can't vote."

The Democratic primary features Vinehout, Barrett, Former Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk and Secretary of State Doug La Follette. Gladys Huber is a Republican running as a Democrat. On the Republican side, Walker is being challenged by political activist Arthur Kohl-Riggs.

Wisconsin's open primary system does not require voters to declare a party. In today's primary, voters can cast one vote for each office — governor, lieutenant governor, and state senator — but those votes can cross parties.

Wisconsin's highest voter turnout in a partisan primary in the past 50 years was 27.9 percent in September 1964, the GAB said. In the past decade, the highest turnout was 22.5 percent, in 2002.

Indications are that today's results won't be close.

Tim Dale, an associate professor of political science at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, said it's difficult to predict turnout because the state hasn't had a gubernatorial recall before. In general, he said, a range of factors make it more likely people turn out for the general election than for a primary.

"We had a million people sign a recall petition, but does that mean a million people will vote in the primary? It's impossible to know," he said. "Barrett having a big lead in the latest polls may keep some people home. The fact that the Democrats haven't attacked each other (in a recent debate), that may keep some people home."

A sampling of county clerks in different areas of the state yielded slightly varying predictions on turnout, but they agreed that a significantly higher number of voters would go to the polls on June 5.

Mike Saari, clerk in Iron County in north-central Wisconsin, said voters simply don't get as excited about primaries as they do about general elections: "A primary has the stigma attached to it that it's not as important. If I had to guess on turnout, I'd say we'll get about 30 percent."